DLA spending

[Anonmom812]

My daughter recently was awarded DLA.. She has just turned 16, the award is for £412 every 4 weeks...
She gets £25 a week of it for spending and another £20 a week for her bus ticket.
(I have tried giving it her weekly to help her learn how to budget as when she has it all at once she often tends to spend it all at once and then had none left for the rest of the month)
The rest of the money I split between extra food (she often won't eat the same as everyone else) music subscription for her (her special interest), savings etc (incase she needs clothes or other things etc)

She always gets to the end of the week and has ran out of money so am I being too tight with it?
I don't want to be controlling but I also don't want the money to be wasted on take aways and the corner shop

This is new to us so please any helpful suggestions or thoughts are welcome

This is a matter only you can settle between you. But if she has just turned 16 she will probably be invited to claim PIP soon, instead of DLA. As time goes on unless you are registered as her actual appointee the money will be hers to manage, unless as I'm thinking money and budgeting are an issue for her and she needs your support and supervision? Obviously you are still providing home, food etc etc so the money is designed to support extra costs relating to her condition like your example of dietary differences.

She needs to apply for PIP now and then that money will go to her (unless you can justify being her appointee and she doesn’t challenge it).

You are far better to teach her to budget whilst you can. She gets the money every four weeks and sets up a standing order to pay her music and bus ticket the following day. The rest of hers as she pleases. Remember it’s often by making mistakes that we learn.

I think that while you are responsible for managing her benefit, the way you are going about it is sensible. DLA is intended to help cover the extra costs due to disability, so spending it on food for her dietary needs, clothing for sensory needs and special interests to keep her regulated are exactly the right things to spend it on. To me the question of £25 a week is more about whether she is happy with that level of pocket money - it's a decent amount and more than most get anyway. DLA is to meet need rather than subsidise general spending/pocket money, so I think your approach is right. I think if she is likely to struggle with spending once she gets access to her own benefits, she may need some scaffolding and support to ensure she also uses that money to meet her needs.

What are you receiving this money for? What is it supposed to be spent on? It appears that the taxpayer is funding your daughter’s pocket money. That isn’t the case surely?

It's not designed to be pocket money, and I wouldn't usually consider a 16yo spending all their money quickly a disability realated cost (unless she has to buy things to manage her disability that her peer don't, or maybe has difficulty with impulsiveness). It's designed to cover additional costs linked to her disability. It's up to you as a family to decide what those costs are, but in the examples you've given I'd say that as you are buying the extra food, it's right a portion of the money goes to you.

It would have been awarded to cover additional costs associated with the young person's disability/health condition. For many non visible disabilities this can often include appropriate activities to help manage the condition; safe travel; adaptations (not all of these are physically related) dietary needs, not an exhaustive list. Within DLA a lot of those costs are household costs and some will acceptably be passed to the young person.

Can people who claim that PIP and DLA shouldn’t be cut defend this example of spending? Because I think this is a clear cut example of a waste of taxpayers money and must be cut. Mindblowing!

Dla is for care need expenses not to spend on the local corner shop… it doesn’t really sound like she needs dla?

The amount given suggests roughly that she gets low rate mobility (£29 per week so in line with the £25 per week bus ticket) and middle rate care of £74 per week (which I’d guarantee doesn’t cover her food bill after her music is paid for). Therefore, I’d expect that (like most families) the DLA goes into the household pot and the child costs them far more than is received.

I am not going to defend anything. The OP can, if she wishes to do so. I will just say, that these awards are given, or not, after a lengthy process, where information on the claimant is considered, and any award decided, on that information, assessment, etc.

I spend my child’s DLA money on things from the corner shop and for her to buy things she wants. I spend my salary on educational psychology appointments and reports, speech and language, play therapy, sensory OT, physio and a solicitor to fight the LA for her EHCP placement after her SEN school closed unexpectedly).

This month I’ve received £500 in DLA and spent over £5000 on accommodating and supporting my child (and we are only a week into the month!). The DLA doesn’t even touch what many disabled children need and just because the specific pounds given go on spending else, doesn’t mean that the families involved don’t spend far more than they receive and go without as a result of their child’s needs.

Most mothers with disabled children are primary carers and DLA can be used to pay for the additional care they provide beyond the care of a non disabled child. Plus any additional things the child needs. It can pay towards a second car to make life easier for the carer and child. If the mother opted out of caring it would cost a lot more than monthly DLA to care for the child. As a mother of an adult son with autism I see my role as akin to walking in front of him throughout life to ensure his path is clear so he can live as normal a life as possible. When I’m no longer here he will have to pay someone else to do that for him

My older son gets the same - Middle rate care and lower mobility.

He does get pocket money, but I don't take it out of the DLA specifically. I use it for things like his occupational therapy; his counselling and additional medical appointments and when we have some spare, 'enrichment' activities like taking him to things relating to his special interests. It also goes on special clothes because he has sensory issues.

It does not even begin to cover the additional costs that having a disabled family member means. I'd love to have the luxury of being be so surprised as @Firkinflea but as any person with a disabled child knows the DLA does not usually touch the sides. It just mitigates substantial additional costs. There is plenty of studies done about how having a disabled family member negatively impacts the finances of the family- even if they get DLA.

I have a disabled child. I spend thousands of pounds every year on their care. I don’t claim a penny because I don’t need to and if I did need to I would get on the waiting list for CAMHS, etc. this mother doesn’t seem to be spending the money on therapy etc at all. I’d love to see how the extra spend on food over and above a normal diet is calculated. Seems extortionate.

Good for you 👍

That was sarcastic btw

Thats fine. You don't claim because you don't need to. You could if your child meets the criteria as its non means tested. But some parent carers do need to. And if you look at the breakdown of the mobility and daily living costs as one poster described, it isn't extortionate. As OP said she is new to this and I think trying to find a balance. I do not have a disabled child, I care for a disabled adult and my paid job includes supporting people with disabilities and welfare advice. I have a thorough understanding of additional needs and associated costs and I also know they are incredibly variable.

Then that is fine for you @Firkinflea . You have just admitted you know that having a disabled child can cost thousands of pounds per year. Why the faux naivety then that some people have to claim DLA. Personally, if the family's finances are strained to the point that a 16 year old child would otherwise not get pocket money or a bus ticket then that is what DLA is legitimately to be used for. We did not claim DLA for 9 years after his first diagnosis because like you we thought we could absorb the costs ourselves. Eventually it became too onerous.

Because, as everyone knows, CAMHS is so easy to get on the waiting list for and so helpful!

The DLA I get for my child doesn’t even touch the sides of the distance school education I’m having to privately fund because waits for EHCPs are so nuts.

Yes this is another issue I'm seeing a lot.

So complain and make things improve. Email your MP. I emailed my MP and all of a sudden my child’s ASD / ADHD assessment appointment came within the month. Don’t be fobbed off.

Who have you tried complaining to? As above, my local politicians are extremely effective.

You obviously don't understand how the system works.

You'd be getting a nervous breakdown if I told you what we spend the DC's DLA and PIP on.

These benefits exist for a reason. Not every family can afford to absorb the extra costs involved, when bringing up a child, who is disabled. Those that do not need the extra financial help, are not obliged to apply for it!